Electric water heater



Filed Dec. 14, 1927 INVENTOR VincenzofioSd/Ed? WITNESSES ATTORNEYPatented June 11, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VINOENZO BOSCHETTI, OF WEST NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRIC WATER H ATER.

Application filed December 14, 1927, .Scria1 No. 240,014, and in ItalyMarch 5,'19 27.

The present inventionrelates to an electric; water heater of the-type inwhich the water itself serves as a conductor and rcsistance for thecurrent which heats it, the water flowing in a relatively restrictedspace between two large surfaced electric terminals.

An object of the invention is to provide a heater of this character inthe nature of a small compact unit which may be conveniently attached toany pipe line or faucet, and

. which will serve to highly heat cold water flowing from the faucetthrough a pipe line.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an electric'water' heaterof simple, practical construction, which will be rugged, durable andeflicient in use, and well suited to the requirements of economicalmanufacture and convenient installation.

With the above noted and other objects in view, the invention consistsin certain novel features of construction and combinations andarrangementsof'parts, as will be more fully hereinafter set forth andpointed out in the claims. The invention maybe more fully or cold waterpassing understood from the following description in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein I Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of awater heater embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view therethrough.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but illustrating a slightmodification.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken approximately on the line 44of Fig. 2.

In the drawings I have used the reference numeral 10 to designate agenerally cylindrical block of conductive material which constitutes oneterminal of the heater and which is arranged in a cylindrical shell 11constituting the other terminal. The shell is spaced from all walls ofthe block 10 and cooperates therewith to define an annular waterheatin gchamber 12 in which a thin film of water is always maintained and heatedby the alternating current flowing through the water between theterminals 10 and 11.

The block 10 is provided at one end with an upstanding neck portion 13having a water passage 14 therein, which passage deli vcrs into theannular chamber 12 through a plurality of relatively small radiallydisposed passagewa s 15.

n order that the block 10 may be conven iently mounted within the shell11, one end of the shell is formed as a removable cap 16 having threadedconnection with the shell 11, and having a central opening 17 thereinthrough which the neck 13 passes. The opening is of considerably largerdiameter than the neck 13 in order that the neck may be insulated fromthe cap. An insulating ring 18 encircles the neck and is secured to thetop of the cap 16. The terminal of an electric wire 19 is clampedbetween the ring 18 and a washer 20 screwed on to the threaded upper endof the neck 13 the washer being held firmly in position by a nut orcouplingmember 21 screwed on to the top of the neck and having athreaded socket 22 therein for attachment to the end of a pipe (notshown) which may deliver way 14.

The lead'wire 23 to the shell may be con-- veniently secured by abinding post or similar attachment 24 screwed directly into the interiorof the shell at any desired point. The lower end of the shell isprovided with a restricted outlet orifice 25 through which the heatedWater escapes.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated a slight modification of the deviceentirely similar to the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, except that therestricted orifice 25 is surrounded by a nipple 26 to' which isconnected a coupling member 27 similar to'the member 21. This form ofthe invention is designed for use where the heater is to be employed ina pipe line while the form illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 is more suitablefor direct attachment to a faucet or the like.

It is understood that the lead wires 19 and 23 are connected to oppositesides of any suitable source of alternating current.

When no water is present in the shell 11, the air in the shell willserve to insulate it from the block 10 and prevent any current flow.When water is permitted to enter the shell however, through thepassageways 14 and 15, the water is sufficiently conductive to permitcurrent flow between the members 10 and 11, and sufficientlyelectrically resistant to become highly heated in its passage throughthe shell.

Obviously, various changes and alterations might be made in the generalform and arrangement of the parts described without departing from theinvention. Hence I do not wish to limit myself to the details set forth,but shall consider myself at liberty to make such changes andalterations as fairly fall water into the passageshell cooperativelydefining an annular water heating chamber between them closed at the endopposite the outlet of the shell, and means for introducing waterdirectly into the chamher.

2. An electrical hot water heater including a cylindrical shell having awater outlet at its lower end, a cylindrical block housed within theshell and insulated therefrom, said block extending from said shell toprovide a coupling means for said heater, said block and shellcooperatively defining an annular water heating chamber bet-ween themclosed at its upper end, and means for introducing water directly intothe upper end of the chamber, said means comprising passageways in theblock.

3. An electrical hot water heater including a cylindrical shell having awater outlet at its lower end, a cylindrical block housed within theshell and insulated therefrom, said block extending from said shell toprovide acoupling means for said heater, said block and shellcooperatively defining an annular water heating chamber between themclosed at its upper end, and means for introducing water into thechamber, said means comprising radial passageways in the block, saidblock having a neck projecting through an opening in the shell and boredto define a water inlet passageway leading to the radial passageways.

4. An electrical hot water heater including a cylindrical shell having awater outlet at its upper end, a cylindrical solid block housed withinthe shell and insulated therefrom, said block extending from said shellto provide a coupling means for said heater, said block and shellcooperatively defining an annular water heating chamber between themclosed at its upper end, and means for introduclng water into thechamber, said means jecting through an opening in the shell and bored todefine a water inlet passageway leading to the radial passageways, whichhead to the annular chamber.

5. An electrical hot water heater including a cylindrical shell having awater outlet at one end, a cylindrical block housed within ,the shelland insulated therefrom, said block and shell cooperatively defining anannular water heatmg chamber between them, means for introducing waterinto the chamber,

means for connecting said block and shell to opposite sides of a sourceof alternating current, said means including an exterior binding post onthe shell, and a threaded neck on the block projecting through anopening in the shell and serving as a binding post, the last mentionedshell opening being formed in a1 removable cap constituting one end ofthe s iell.

7 An electrical hot water heater, comprising a shell having an outlet inits bottom, an apertured cap on the upper end of the'shell, a block inthe shell and spaced therefrom to form a water chamber, said blockhaving radial passages in its upper end and provided with a neckprojecting through the cap and having a passageway leading to the radialpassages, means for securing the terminal of an electrical wire on theneck of the block, and means for securing a second electrical wire tothe outer face of the shell.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,this 12th day of December, A. D. 1927.

VINCENZO BOSCHETTI.

' comprising radial passageways in the upper I end of the block, saidblock having a neck pro-"

